


This Time Around

by ami_ven



Series: clone!verse [2]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Community: 100_tales, Episode: s07e03 Fragile Balance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-01
Updated: 2014-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-10 19:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1163385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High school was very different this time around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Time Around

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "100_tales" prompt #031 "valentine's day"
> 
> (These are posted here in publication order— for chronological order, check out the LJ [master post](http://ami-ven.livejournal.com/192069.html))

The flyers for the Valentine's Day dance went up in January, as soon as everyone came back from winter break. They were a lurid pink, covered in hearts, splattered with glitter, and posted on every wall.

"So," said John, catching up with Tara outside her calculus class and taking her over-stuffed backpack. "You wanna go?"

"To the Valentine's Day dance?" she asked, incredulous.

Then, she actually stopped to think about it. She'd never gone to those sort of things the first time she'd been in high school, when she'd been Samantha Carter. With her dad always transferring between bases, she was always the new kid, the class dork, the ugly duckling. She'd never even been asked.

But this time around, things were different. Yes, she was still a geek (as John liked to remind her) but with her adult self's confidence, she was able to enjoy herself the way she couldn't have when she was actually sixteen. Plus, it didn't hurt her image in the slightest that she was dating the captain of the hockey team, who wasn't popular so much as universally well-liked and who adored her more than just a little.

"Hey, Carter," said John, which was exactly why she'd made that her middle name. "You okay?"

Tara blinked, then grinned. "I'm fine. And I'd love to go to the dance with you."

"Sweet," he said and kissed her, right in the middle of the hallway.

"John," she protested, rolling her eyes, but making no move to stop him.

"C'mon, Carter," he grinned. "I just got a date with the hottest girl in school."

"John," she said again, because while she'd hit her growth spurt and was nearly her full height, she wasn't even close to having the kind of curves her original/older self had.

"Hottest girl in school," John repeated, firmly. "Beauty's only skin deep, Carter— my girl's gotta have a brain to go along with a body like that. Not to mention a smart mouth and a good right hook."

It took significant effort for Tara to scowl at him. "What have I told you about calling me your girl?"

His grin was unabashed. "That I shouldn't say things unless I'm prepared to back them up?"

Tara closed her eyes, allowing her smile to form. Clearly, the swirl of teenage hormones was getting to him— she didn't remember the adult Jack being like this, even under the influence of alien substances. Then again, maybe this was just the result of him having behaved himself so well all those years when duty and regulation were all that kept them apart.

"Hey," said John, softly, taking her hand and threading their fingers together. "I'd have done it, too, you know."

She blinked at him.

John smiled, soft and affectionate. "If it had been you Loki had cloned, I couldn't have let you do this alone. Going through high school again is worth it if I can have you with me."

She grinned and leaned up to kiss him.

THE END


End file.
